Automatic bleeder



Aug 15, 1939. LAYNE AL 2,169,561

AUTOMATIC BLEEDER File d March 31, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 LA. LAYN E.

H.G. BLOCK a... A. LAYNE ET AL 2,169,561

AUTOMATIC BLEEDER Filed March 51; 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L.A.LAYNE A TTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 15, 1939 PATENT OFFlCE AUTOMATIC BLEEDER Leslie A. Layne and Harold 0. Block, Houston, Tex.; said Block assignor to said Layne Application March 31, 1936, Serial No. 71,976

1 Claim.

The invention relates to an automatic bleeder which is used to control the level of water and foreign matter in dehydrators of the type used in separating oil and water as it is produced from 5 the well.

It will be understood that in the production of oil and gas that in many formations the desired production occurs along with varying volumes of water. As this body of liquid composed 0 of water, oil and gas is removed from the well it is necessary to eiiect a separation thereof before the oil can be pumped into the pipe lines, or otherwise sold. In many instances the body of liquid produced is in the form of an emulsion wherein the oil is carried in an emulsified form in the water. Various types of devices known as dehydrators have been provided to allow for and because the separation of the oil and gas from the water. One such type of dehydrator is known as an electric dehydrator wherein the action of electricity assists in breaking down the emulsion and allowing the oil to rise to the surface of the water so that there is more or less a definite line of demarcation between the oil and the water.

In devices of this type it is necessary to prevent the water level from rising to the elevation of the electric circuit which is used to effect the dehydration and it is with a view of providing a bleeder or control which will determine the water level which is to be maintained in the dehydrator that the present invention has been devised.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a bleeder which will control the elevation of the water in the dehydrator so as to pre- 3 vent the water from rising to the elevation of the electric grids which are present in the dehydrator.

Another object of the invention is to maintain a substantially constant level of water in the dehydrator in order to facilitate the production of a substantially constant volume of oil.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bleeder control which will prevent the water level from rising to the elevation of the treated oil discharge line of an associated dehydrator.

Still another object of the invention is to maintain a substantially constant water level in a dehydrator in order to obtain a better treatment of the oil.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bleeder wherein a back pressure is maintained upon the bleeder in order to equalize its operation.

55 Still another object of the invention is to balance the discharge valve of a dehydrator bleeder in order to obtain uniform operation thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in combination with an automatic bleeder a float and valve construction wherein the float 5 is adjustable relative to the valve in accordance with variation in specific gravity of the liquids being handled so that the valve may be balanced by applying a back pressure thereto.

Still another object of the invention is to main- 10 tain a substantially constant level in a dehydrator in order that the incoming emulsion may be uniformly washed by the body of water in order to obtain uniform results as to the treatment of the oil discharged from the dehydrator. 5

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a de- 20 hydrator to which the present invention has been attached for operation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the bleeder construction of Fig. 1 and illustrating the arrangements of the parts. 25

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken on the lines 3-43 and 4-4, respectively, of Fig. 2.

A dehydrator is illustrated generally at 2 in Fig. l and usually takes the form of a tank or container into which the discharge from the well 30 is received, and it is in this container that the body of water is to be maintained in order to serve as a washer for the body of liquid discharged from the well. Suitable electric grids or other devices for dehydrating the liquid from 5 the well are provided inside this dehydrator or container 2, but the particular type of dehydrator used forms no part of the present invention except insofar as the present invention is adapted for use in combination therewith to improve the 49 result obtained therefrom.

It would appear to be sufficient to state that the discharge from the well into the dehydrator occurs adjacent the base thereof so that the body of liquid or emulsion being discharged will move 45 upwardly through the body of Water in the dehydrator and arrive at the elevation of the dehydrating mechanism-so that the water will accumulate in the base 2 and the body of treated oil will be maintained in the top of the body 2. 50

A suitable gauge 3 is provided on the dehydrator so that the line of demarcation between the water and the treated oil can be observed.

As the dehydration process proceeds there will be a gradual accumulation of water in the base elevation of the dehydrator tank 2.

of the dehydrator. This water will, of course, be above the level of the conduit 5 which may be closed by a valve 6 and by means of a coupling 1 connected to the bleeder 8. A pipe 9 leads from the coupling 1 into the bleeder housing, which is illustrated generally at 10.

The lower chamber l I of the bleeder housing I!) will, of course, be filled with water and maintained in the chamber by reason of the valve l2 which engages a seat l3 in the base of the chamber II. A protective sleeve M to guide the valve I2 is provided and a plurality of inlets l5. are provided in this sleeve so that there may be an inflow of water which will discharge from the pipe I! when the valve I2 is raised.

The pipe I! is the discharge pipe for the water from the bleeder, as seen in Fig. 1. Any accumulation of extraneous matter such as sand and silt can be removed from the bleeder by the discharge passage l8 which is controlled by a valve l9 as seen in Fig. 1. In some instances it is desirable to drain the bleeder and the valve l9 will be used for this purpose.

It has been found that a more uniform operation of the device can be obtained if a predetermined back pressure is exerted upon the valve l2 and to accomplish this a stand pipe 20 has been arranged on the end of the pipe I! and this stand pipe may be of any desired elevation but is here shown as substantially the same as the The stand pipe is arranged to discharge in a waste pipe 2! which is open at 22 in order to provide a vent and allow the escape of any accumulating gas or to prevent the creation of a vacuum. This stand pipe is controlled by a valve 23. I

In order to equalize the pressure on the chamber H and to obtain a uniform operation of the valve I2, an oil equalizer line 25 extends from adjacent the top of the dehydrator tank 2 over to the head 26 which is provided on top of the bleeder housing I0. This equalizer line contains a valve 27 to control the flow therethrough. This line is shown as discharging into a chamber 28 inside of the head 26 and in this manner the pressure in this oil line is exerted in the area 30 in the top of the bleeder housing ID. A vent line 35 from the head 26 to permit the escape of air as the bleeder is put in operation, has been provided and discharges into the refuse pipe 32 along with the waste from the stand pipe 20.

Disposed inside of the bleeder housing It! and arranged to control the operation of the valve [2 is a float 422. This float is of particular construction in order to adapt it for combination with the present invention and is shown in the form of an annulus which is best seen in Fig. 3. It is preferably made of a suitable material whose weight can be accurately determined in order to obtain a fine adjustment of the movement of the valve l2. This float is in the form of an annular container having an outer wall 4! and an inner wall 42 which are spaced apart to form a float chamber 43. The inner wall 42 is in the form of a sleeve which encloses the valve stem 45 for a portion of its length equal to the height of the float 40. The upper end of this partition or sleeve 42 is threaded at 45 in order to be received upon a complementary threaded portion 41 on the stem 45. By means of this threaded connection it seems obvious that relative rotation between the stem as and the float 40 will vary the elevation of the float relative to the stem, so that a very fine adjustment of the position of the float 49 with respect to the valve I2 can be in this manner obtained, and it is because of this fine adjustment that a substantially constant water level can be maintained in the dehydrator 2.

In order toprevent any rotation of the float 40 the guides 50 have been positioned inside of the housing In and are arranged to slide between the guide members 5| and 52 which are spaced apart on the edge of the outer float wall 5!. It is intended that the float 40 will ride in the liquid which is maintained inside of the housing H3. The upper portion of this body of liquid will probably be oil and the lower portion of the liquid will be Water so that it is necessary to adjust the float until the desired level of water is obtained in the dehydrator and the position of the float depends upon the specific gravity of the liquids which are being treated and which are maintained in the bleeder housing. It seems obvious that the specific gravity of the water may vary, depending upon the amount of extraneous matter which is carried thereby and by the salt content thereof and also by the volume of oil which remains in the water in emulsion even after the treatment in the dehydrator. Temperature changes also affect the specific gravity.

It seems obvious, also, that the specific gravity of the oil may vary depending upon the well to which the mechanism is attached and considerable variation is possible in the different grades of oil which are produced. Each bleeder will have to be adjusted very carefully to each dehydrator, and in order to obtain this adjustment a noncircular portion 55 is attached to the upper end of the stem 55 and this non-circular portionlis arranged for relatively free sliding movement in the sleeve 55 which is disposed inside of the head 25. This sleeve is arranged for rotatable but non-rising movement by virtue of the flange 56 thereon, which is held in position in the head 26 by a gland 57. top of the sleeve 55 so that the sleeve will be rotated and in this manner impart rotation to the non-circular portion of the stem 45 so that there will be a relative screwing action between the threads 46 and 41 to change the adjustment or' position of the float 45 relative to the valve 12. The dotted line portion '59 in Fig. 2 illustrates the lowermost position towhich the float ltl'may be adjusted.

In order that the valve [2 may be maintained in proper alignment with the sleeve M and its valve seat l3 irrespective of any adjustment of the float member or any misalignment of the parts, a universal joint 68 has been arranged whereby the valve 12 is connected to the stem 45.

This construction embodies a-collar 6| threaded onto the lower end'of the stem 45, and has a re-- duced flange 52 thereon to enclose the enlarged head 63 on the valveiZ. In this manner the valve I 2 is arranged for tilting movement relative to the stem 45,-so that it may settle itself in the sleeve Hi and upon the seat l3. The turning movement of the stem 45 need not vary the seating position of the valve !2, because if the valve is set and a pressure exerted thereon, the stem 45 may be rotated without rotating the valve, because the collar Bl may rotate relative to the valve head 63.

In order that the float 40 may have the proper buoyance any desired amount of ballast may be deposited in the section 43 by removing the cap 65 on the bleeder housing l0 and then removing the plug 65 in the top of the float. Any desired material may be deposited inside of the float 40 in order to obtain the desired amount of ballast A hand wheel 58 is fixed to the and position the float at the desired elevation. After the ballast has been positioned, then a fine adjustment of the float can be had by manipullating the hand wheel 58 to adjust the float on the stem 45.

A bypass 68 controlled by a valve 69 is shown to balance the pressure on the valve l2 when the bleeder is placed in operation.

It has been found that where the water inlet 9 to the bleeder is substantially four times the size of the oil equalizer line 25 that a satisfactory operation of the device is obtained and that a proper breathing of the oil in and out of the bleeder through this equalizer line 25 is obtained.

The present structure has been devised to maintain the bleeder in such condition that it will not become clogged or inoperative by virtue of an accumulation of water, emulsion, or oil, and to provide the entire system so that it may be operated under pressure and to suitably balance the valve so that a very fine adjustment can be obtained thereon, and a substantially constant level of water maintained in the bleeder to facilitate its eflicient operation.

While the invention has been described in operation with a dehydrator it is to be understood that such bleeder may be used in combination with any type of separator.

What is claimed is:

A control device for the discharge of the heavier of two liquids from a container comprising a valve for the discharge outlet, a housing about said valve forming a chamber, an inlet to said housing for the heavier liquid, a breather connection between the container and the housing for the lighter liquid, a float in said chamber, a valve stem connected to said valve and said float, a standpipe portion on said discharge beyond said valve to contain liquid and create a back pressure on said valve so that said float will vary the control movement of said valve in accordance with the specific gravity of the liquid and independent of the suction to open said valve, and a by-pass between said housing and standpipe to balance the pressure on said valve.

LESLIE A. LAYNE. HAROLD C. BLOCK. 

